Recyclingis an activity which has been a part of human societies practically since history has been recorded, and there is evidence of recycling going back toByzantine times, andeven much earlieraccording to some studies.

Despite the best efforts to increase waste diversion rates in America by the U.S. EPA, along with variousStates and Municipalities, and millions of citizen volunteers, the recycling industry faces enormous challenges in 2018 and moving forward.

An Earth Day Message

The first Earth Day occurred on April 22, 1970 – and as we prepare for the 47th anniversary of that event this weekend, it is worthwhile to look back at the rich and interesting history of this day while we also consider what this event means to us now today, and what it can mean to us into the future.

It’s World Water Day – a day to reflect on our own water use while recognizing the world’s water crisis.

As Americans, we often take our abundance of clean water for granted. With the exception of the Flint, Michigan water crisis and regional droughts, most people in the United States give no further thought to their water source past the tap. In contrast, according to UN-Water, “Today, 1.8 billion people use a source of drinking water contaminated with feces, putting them at risk of contracting cholera, dysentery, typhoid and polio.”1

Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, in partnership with USC Sustainability, becomes largest NFL stadium and second-largest college stadium to achieve zero waste status, repurposing over 90 percent of waste created by over 1M patrons, totaling 233 tons

As the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum concludes the football season with the final Rams game this Sunday, it will be the culmination of a historic campaign for a venue that now hosts both the Los Angeles Rams and USC Trojan football. Fans in attendance at the game will be a part of a Coliseum sustainability effort that will help push the facility over the “zero waste” goal line.

It is a day to educate and motivate our communities on the possibilities of what can be accomplished when everyone works together to recycle and also buy products with recycled content.

And the evidence shows that this focus on recycling is working – according to the EPA, Americans are recycling more and discarding less. In 2014, Americans recycled over 34% of the waste which was generated, a slight increase from 32% in 2005, and a big increase from 16% in 1990 and 10% in 1980.

Kimberly-Clark, the first major towel and tissue manufacturer in North America to introduce products made with 20 percent plant fiber, resulting in the use of up to 20 percent fewer tree fibers or recycled fibers than conventional products.

Introducing GreenHarvest* products – a truly innovative offering that incorporates plant-based rapidly renewable fiber, such as bamboo and wheat straw, into trusted Kleenex® and Scott® Brand towel and tissue products. It’s a pioneering approach to fiber sourcing that will transform the paper products industry. As a world leader in sustainability, Kimberly-Clark is paving the way – delivering innovative products along with the quality and performance that you’ve come to expect from our trusted brands. Today, in a resource-constrained, digital world, with fewer sources of recycled fiber, and the need to put less pressure on natural forests, it’s important to continue exploring new fibers. Partner with us and cultivate the future with the brands you know and trust.What is GreenHarvest* plant-based fiber?• It’s fiber, but it doesn’t come from trees:It comes from plants, such as wheat and bamboo.

For the last several years in recognition of America Recycles Day on November 15, WAXIE has posted an article on the topic of recycling to this blog page. In keeping with the tradition this year, WAXIE is excited to partner with the Environmental Services Department at the City of San Diego who have been kind enough to provide the following article on the topic of Zero Waste for our blog.

San Diego’s Path to Zero Waste

Did you know that the State of California has a goal to divert 75% of trash from landfills (AB 341)? The City of San Diego’s Environmental Services Department (ESD) is making great strides on the path towards Zero Waste in order to achieve that goal and go beyond. On December 16, 2013, the City adopted a Zero Waste Objective that established the precise targets for the City to develop a Zero Waste Plan (ZWP) of 75% diversion of waste from landfills by 2020 and Zero Waste by 2040.

Accumulation of waste is a major challenge for most college or university campuses. Buildings are spread out across hundreds of acres, requiring a lot of time and effort not just to check the levels of trash in receptacles, but also in travel time. It gets even trickier for larger sprawling campuses, especially those with steep hills.

The University of California, San Diego (UCSD) is one such campus. It is comprised of six undergraduate colleges, five graduate schools, and two medical schools; in addition, UCSD also operates research institutes. From students to staff, tens of thousands of people are on campus daily, so waste receptacles tend to fill up rapidly. The staff, in particular the landscaping crew, has a lot of ground to cover with a large to do list and only so many resources available.